Offices Held

Capt. Walmer castle 1601-9; sheriff, Notts. 1613-14.

Biography

Parkins’s father was recorder of Leicester and Parkins himself acted as London agent for the town. He was made a freeman in 1598. Long letters from him about the town’s petition for a new charter and the attempt to promote Leicester to county status, survive among the borough records. After succeeding to his estates, Parkins probably retired, appearing in the borough records only as the recipient of small gifts. He was never a bencher of his inn of court, and although the visitation of Nottinghamshire, taken in 1614, describes him as recorder of Nottingham, the borough records do not confirm this.2

In 1600 the Privy Council issued a warrant for Parkins’s apprehension, but the cause cannot have been serious, for the following year he was granted the captaincy of Walmer castle, which his father-in-law had previously held. He evidently resided there for part of the time, undertaking repairs and attending to garrison duties. He also bought an estate called Berry Court, in nearby Old Romney, which he later resold. He died intestate on 23 Aug. 1626 and was buried at Bunny. Two years before his death he had settled his wife’s Kent estate upon his daughter Mary. His paternal estates descended to his son Isham, to whom administration of the property was granted.3